A Gift of Alms

 

Scripture

 Matthew 25:31-40

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, ³³ and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. ³⁴ Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, ³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? ³⁸ And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? ³⁹ And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ ⁴⁰ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’ (NRSVUE)

 

2 Corinthians 9:6-9

⁶ The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not regretfully or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. ⁹ As it is written,

“He scatters abroad; he gives to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever.”  (NRSVUE)

 

Lenten Practice

 From giving money to those in need to finding ways to feed the poor, clothe the naked, and provide safty and/or shelter to the un-housed, the tradition of almsgiving stretches all the way back to Genesis.   To give alms is to donate one's time, money, services, or resources for the good of others--particularly to those who are less fortunate in some way.  This ancient discipline helps us draw closer to God and one another in a few ways.

• It reminds us that all we have comes not from our own doing, but from a God who remains generous to us through thick and thin--particularly during our own times of need.
• It deepens our sense that we are all interconnected with God and one another.
  
• It helps us do as Jesus did and prioritize the good of others over accumulating wealth, power, etc. for ourselves. I
• It deepens our relationships with God by utilizing our gifts, talents, etc. to let God's love and generosity flow through us and out into the world (thereby drawing us into God/s spirit of creation, protection, etc).
  
• It sows justice, mercy, and kindness in the world so that together, so that God's blessings can grow and the Kin-dom of heaven may be revealed.
  

 Unlike folks in Jesus's day (who generally gave of themselves to others through one-on-one interactions, we live in a world where it is easy to simply give money and other resources to different groups without ever interacting with people in need.  While such donations are helpful, they do not live into the full spirit of almsgiving.  When possible, it is better to make giving personal so that we can may live into god's generosity in ways that build and deepen relationships as well as maintain people's dignity.  

My friends who are Muslim cousins in faith remind me of both how practical and how transformative this kind of personal almsgiving with their extra giving each Ramadan.  My friends have explained that in this extra giving is supposed to be as intentional and personal as possible.  Rather than simply donating money to a food bank, for instance, they may choose to take a homecooked meal to someone who sleeps in the streets and chat with them as they eat.  Or if they know someone who is struggling with how to pay for an unexpected expense (like I was one year after a trip to the dentist), they will help with the bill.  And if you ask them why they chose to help you,; they will simply explain they have been blessed by God....and they know that this Ramadan, God wants them to share some of their blessings with you. 

Speaking from personal experience as both the giver and the recipient of alms, it is hard to describe how much of an impact these moments can have on a person and their relationships.  It is as if you can see God's love and generosity flowing down from above, through people, and out in every direction, filling the world with abundance.  Whether it is a a full belly, a relief from worry, or a renewed sense that someone is not alone, the blessings that that grow from the seeds of justice, mercy, and compassion that people sowed through what they gave to others testify to to God's overwhelming grace and mercy for the world.  In the end, everyone benefits from almsgiving.

This week, I invited you to consider how you may personally give to someone in need.  What is is that they are struggling with, and how might God be asking you to lessen that struggle?  If you aren't quite sure how to approach this form of giving to others, the process below may be of help you get started.  I have provided a sample answers in italics.

A Process for Almsgiving:

• Reflect on the people you come into contact with.   Who is experiencing some sort of lack, loss, or struggle right now?    B.D. is having a lot of problems with their teeth... and has been told they need a couple root canals.  

•  Listen to them carefully (or think back to previous conversations, etc.)  What is their take on what, if anything, would make the situation better?  What do they perceive they need?   Their insurance will cover most of the cost, but they don't have a way to get to the dentist that needs to do it (their car is broken down).    They are also anxious, because their last dentist trip didn't go we). 

•  Go to God in prayer, asking for direction what you may be able to give that show your love and care and that might make the situation a little better.  This may or may not not include money.  For instance, God may ask you to give of your time, your abilities, etc.  I can't afford to get their car fixed, but I could take them to and from the dentist that day.  I could also pray for them and offer to sit in the waiting room.

•  Find a way to reach out to the person and offer them what God leads you to offer them.  If they ask why you want to help, you can simply say that Christ loves them...and you do too.  I'll talk to them about it when I see them at our usual Friday thing.  And I'll come with my calendar in my pocket book.

• Do the thing.  And as you do it, leave room for Christ's spirit to work among you.  B.D. would live a ride and would appreciate a prayer in the car.  They don't want me to have to sit around in the waiting room after they go back, so we agreed I will run some errands in the area until they calls to say that they are done.  What they don't know is that I'm going to surprise them by getting us matching copies of a book we've both been wanting to read to give them before tey get out of the car.  Whether or not they choose to read it while they wait for the procedure,e, we should be able to compare notes on it soon.
  

 

Prayer

Christ, thank you for the generosity you pour into my life.  Make me a cheerful and personal giver so that the kindness I show others may reflect your love and generosity in ways that help your Kin-dom grow.